Dubai: St Mark’s Basilica led home a 1-2-3 finish for the Irish when winning the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket Racecourse on Saturday as Godolphin’s One Ruler stormed into Classic contention.
A half-brother to 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia, the winner was cut to 12s from 33s for next year’s colt’s Classic.
St Mark’s Basilica reversed the Irish National Stakes (G1) form with Aidan O’Brien’s Wembley ahead of Thunder Moon, trained by Joseph O’Brien.
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The winner was supplying O’Brien with his seventh winner in the race, one behind joint record-holders John Porter and Frank Butters.
“He didn’t put a foot wrong and did everything I asked him too,” jockey Frankie Dettori told ITV Racing. “He should have no problem getting the Guineas trip.”
“He hasn’t run a bad race this year. He wasn’t beaten very far in Ireland. Well done Aidan and the team.”
Meanwhile Godolphin’s One Ruler, ridden confidently by William Buick, landed the Group 3 Emirates Autumn Stakes in convincing fashion from fast finishing Irish raider Van Gogh, the mount of Ryan Moore.
The winner was trained by Charlie Appleby who also saddled third place finisher Dhahabi (James Doyle) to take third in the race which Godolphin have won for the last four years with Military March (2019), Persian Kings (2018), Ghaiyyath (2017) and Best Solution (2016).
William Buick: “I think it was a very nice performance on very soft ground. I think he’d be a better performer on better ground for sure.”
One Ruler has stormed into the picture for both the 2021 Epsom Derby and Newmarket Guineas.
